Life Less Ordinary
by Kay Isles
Summary: Sequel to Upside Down, but both stories could stand on their own. Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies. Rate M just in case.
1. Chapter One

Hey everyone! I know a lot of you have been asking for more to Upside Down, and here it is! I promise, this one will be longer and have chapters :) I'll try not to leave you hanging...to much! I'm really enjoying writing this story and can't wait to hear what you think!

MyKate beta this for me, but all mistakes are mine!

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.

Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.

* * *

Life Less Ordinary

Chapter One

It was a cool early morning in Marina Del Rey, California. The warm ocean water gently splashed over Sara Sidle's feet as she sat on the beach in front of her house. Taking a deep breath, Sara looked down at her watch. _3 a.m._ She sighed again. For the last couple of weeks, her insomnia slowly had been creeping in, and this past week it had kicked in full force. Sara could feel herself growing even more anxious has the hours passed by.

 _Today is the day,_ Sara thought to herself, _Grissom will be here in eight hours for an undetermined amount time. I don't know if I can do this._

Three months had passed since she encountered Grissom after not being in contact for five years. Three months of wondering if he was serious about coming out there to get to know Meredith and be a real father to their little girl. Three months of wondering if he was serious about rebuilding up their friendship and seeing where things would lead. Sara felt a smile tug at her lips. With a sigh, she leaned back against the sand cooled with the waning tide _. We have to try…_

The warm water continued to splash over her feet as she rose to place her chin on top of her knees. She took another deep breath as she thought back to three months ago.

 **Flashback**

 _Slightly above a whisper, "Would you like to_ _come inside?"_

"Only if you're sure you're ready," Grissom replied back quietly, both of them reeling slightly from the innuendo.

 _Sara breathed in his scent deeply before responding_ _in a husky tone, "Ready if you are."_

 _Grissom studied Sara's face intently. Behind the tear streaks he saw some subtle changes in her features from when he last saw her five years ago. Her forehead was adorned with the sunkissed freckles born of her current environs; her eyes and lips now framed with small wrinkles left by the sun and smiles enjoyed in happy activity. Her large brown eyes glowed softly, as if imprinted with a lively gleam. And her lips. He felt the familiar fascination with those supple lips. Drawing his attention with a renewed fervor, his eyes took in the lack of tension and stress that had worried him when they worked together._

 _He gave her a slight nod when he realized she was standing and looking down at him, and quickly shifted his attention to the waves crashing over his feet. He picked up his sandals and slowly started to stand back up. When he spun back around he saw that she was facing the beach house. He turned his gaze towards the house and saw the figure in the window quickly move away._

 _Sara turned her attention back to Grissom as she rubbed her hands over her tired face. "Don't worry, he won't bite," and she let out a low chuckle._

 _Grissom smiled._

 **Present day**

 _I can do this._

~~~~GSR~~~~

 _4:22 a.m._ Grissom took a deep breath as he stared at the bright red numbers on his bedside clock. _4:23 a.m. Today is the day,_ he thought to himself, _I'm officially on sabbatical for an indefinite amount of time. I'm not sure I can do this…_ Grissom took another deep breath. _4:25 a.m. I have to do this._

Grissom sighed and rolled over so he could no longer see the clock.

 _Am I ready to do this?_

 _Is it possible to earn back Sara's trust after all these years?_

 _Will Meredith like me?_

 _Will_ she _trust me?_

 _I have to make this work._

 _Fate's given me one final chance to get this right._

 _I can't live my life without her anymore._

 _I don't WANT to._

Grissom rolled back over to look at the clock. Bright red numbers staredback at him; 4:30 a.m.

Steeling himself with determination, Grissom got out of bed _._ Sleep was far from his mind. _Time to start in a new direction for my life. Six and a half hours till I arrive in California._

 **Two hours later**

Grissom looked around his townhouse one last time to ensure he packed everything he needed for his trip to California.

 _Every day clothes…check._

 _Formal clothes…check._

 _Belts…check._

 _Toiletries…check._

 _Laptop…check._

 _Water for the drive…check._

 _Wallet…check._

 _Keys…check._

 _Phone and charger…check._

 _What am I missing?_

Grissom looked around the living room again, knowing he was missing something he needs to bring with him. Finally his eyes settled on his bookshelf.

"The stuffed lady bug I bought for Meredith!I can't forget about that." He smiled. _I really think she'll love it!_

"Oh, I almost forgot about the book." He quickly packed the lady bug and book away in his bag and finished loading up his car.

He slide into the driver seat and pulled out his phone. He sent Greg and Nick a brief text message:

 _I appreciate you taking care of the townhouse while I'm on sabbatical. I will let you know once I've reached my destination. –G_

Grissom sighed. Greg and Nick asked so many questions about his sabbatical _,_ and he felt a pang of guilt wash over him about his somewhat misleading replies.

 **Flashback**

 _Without looking up from the assignment sheets as Grissom walked into the break room, "Nick, starting tomorrow you will be in charge of the night shift for an undetermined amount of time."_

 _What?!" Nick exclaimed, "Why?"_

" _I start my sabbatical tomorrow_ _,_ _and Catherine will be away at a conference for the next two weeks. She figur-"_

" _Where are you going?" Greg interrupted._

" _On sabbatical."_

 _Silence filled the room and Grissom looked up. He let out a long breath before continuing, "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone for and_ _,_ _as I stated, Catherine will be gone for the next two weeks."_

" _Okay…but where are you going? What if we need to reach you? What if there is a problem? What if –"_

 _Grissom interrupted before Greg could go on, "Email me if there are any problems that are insurmountable," his glare emphasizing his message, "but I know you can hold down the fort until Catherine returns."_

 _Without further explanation, Grissom handed out the assignments and quickly left the room._

 **Present time**

Taking a deep breath, Grissom pulled out of his driveway and made his way towards Marina Del Ray. _Four and a half hours. I can do this._

* * *

What did you think? I hope you enjoyed this story! Please leave a review!

I have chapter two finished, just having issues getting it uploaded. It'll be posted ASAP! Chapter three is a WIP.

~Kay


	2. Chapter Two

MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.

Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.

* * *

Chapter Two

Grissom slowly pulled his car into the driveway of his childhood home. _11:14 a.m._ He drew in a deep breath and calmly exhaled. _I am really doing this._ He thought to himself. Getting out of his car, he stretched and then ran a hand down his face. He took another deep breath and tried to ease his anxiety. He unloaded the car and slowly made his way into the house.

Feeling overwhelmed at being back in the house without his mother, Gil sighed again and placed his bags down by the stairs. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent Greg and Nick another brief text message:

 _I have made it safely. I'll be in touch. –G_

Grissom then slid his phone back into his pocket as he made his way further into the house. He stopped once he reached the living room and fought the onslaught of memories that assailed him as looked around the room. Inhaling deeply, he made his way further into the room with an unsteady gait and sank gratefully onto on the old and worn flowery couch. He closed his eyes briefly as he thought back to three months ago.

 **Flashback**

 _Grissom warily followed Sara towards the house. He was nervous and began to feel his heart beat harder and faster._ I don't know if I can meet her just yet. What if she doesn't know who I am? What if she does? _Grissom clenched his jaw and fists. His palms started to become sweaty as his anxiety rose._

" _Sara." Grissom staggered out above a whisper._

 _Sara stopped just shy of the steps leading up to the house and turned around. She was surprised to see the uncertainty in his eyes. She carefully took three steps towards him and hesitantly took his hands into hers as she gazed into his deep blue eyes._

 _He released the breath he was holding and barely above a whisper said, "Does…" He exhaled quickly, "Does she…" He shook his head, unsure how to form what he wanted to say._

" _She knows who you are." Sara spoke quietly, but loud enough for him to hear._

 _Grissom looked up at her surprised, "She does?"_

" _I never wanted her to question who you were." She continued, "Despite everything we've been through, you're still a part of her." Sara ended on a tentative sigh._

" _I…I wish." Grissom shook his head again, still unsure of what to say, "I'm sorr-"_

 _Sara cut him off and looked down, "There's no need to be sorry. I understand."_

" _Sara." The timidness in his voice made her back up. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes and he realized how much pain she had been holding in. "I should have never-"_

" _Don't. Please." Sara pleaded as she turned around and headed back up the steps to the house._

 **Present day**

 _I have to prove to her that I'm not leaving. I have to._

Grissom quickly stood to his feet and headed for the door.

~~~~GSR~~~~

 _10:56 a.m._ Sara stared at the clock on her office wall. _10:57 a.m._ She shook her head gently before looking back down at the report she was filling out. She had been having trouble for the last hour focusing on the report. The case was an easy open and shut case. Teenager ran away from home only to return a few days later to rob his parents' safe. In the process, he set off the alarm and ran off before even getting close to the safe, but left behind his fingerprints on the rock he used to break the office's window. Sara sighed.

 _11:00 a.m. He'll be arriving any time now…or so he said._ Sara looked down at her phone. Still nothing appeared on her screen saying he has arrived. Sighing again, Sara stood up and decided it was time to head to the break room to get a cup of coffee.

After making her coffee, she sat down at the table warily. She glanced down at her coffee while drifting back to three months ago.

 **Flashback**

 _Sara climb up the steps to the house and grabbed the door handle. Inhaling deeply, she cautiously opened up the door slightly before looking back at Grissom._

" _You don't –"_

" _I'm coming." Grissom spoke decisively_ _but quietly._

 _Eyes locked in silent communication, the couple stood motionless for a long moment before Sara's head bobbed slightly in acceptance as she turned towards the door._

 _Inhaling softly, Sara began, "You rea-"_

 _Grissom moved up the steps and stood right behind her. His breath felt warm against the back of her neck_ _, and she felt the familiar ache in the pit of her stomach. With unsteady hands, she quickly opened the door the rest of the way and made her way inside_ _._

 _Grissom stepped into the house and quickly glanced around the room. The table sat where it had a great view out to the beach. The bar stood about ten feet to the right. It sat a few inches lower than the counter it was connected too. The counter wrapped around the right side of the room, with the bigger appliances mixed in the mix. The room was a light shade of yellow, and_ _with the sun shining through, the room felt bright and roomy._

 _Grissom noticed Sara was nowhere in sight and took a tentative step further into the room. He was about to call for her when she reappeared with the man who took Meredith back home after the incident._

" _Griss. This is Don. My…" She looked Grissom directly in the eyes, "my brother." When she noticed him release the breath he was holding, she continued and turned to Don, "Don, this is Grissom…Gil Grissom…"_

 _Grissom was surprised when she didn't need to explain who he was further when Don spoke and reached out to shake his hand, "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard….I've heard a bit about you." Don ended on a quieter note._

 _Grissom shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you too…I…" He stopped and looked back at Sara._

 _She gave him a small smile before looking down and around when she felt a small tug on the back of her shirt. She knelt down and picked Meredith up. She slowly turned back around_ _ **…**_ _.._

 **Present day**

"Sara?" Tim shook her shoulder as he spoke. When she didn't reply, he said her name again, but louder.

Sara jumped up so quickly she knocked Tim over.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you." She knelt down next to her boss to make sure he was okay.

"I'm fine. Really. You were off in Saraville and wouldn't come back to Earth."

Sara smirked as Tim laughed.

"I'm sorry. I…I was…just…"

"It's fine, really." He smiled before continuing, "You should go home. Spend some time with Meredith. You haven't seen much of her...or the rest the family all week."

"Tim, that's kind of you, but-"

"But nothing. You've practically been living here this whole week. Go home."

"But-"

"It's an order. Besides, don't you have company arriving today?"

Sara stared at him, "How…"

"Don't look so shocked Sara. I'm not the boss for nothing." He smiled wider.

When he saw her not move an inch he continued on, "Don told me…don't be upset at him. He was worried about you."

"Right." Sara muttered under her breath. Tim and her brother were best friends and had known each other for years. Tim was the one who had introduce Chrissy to Don, as Chrissy was Tim's younger sister.

"He said you hadn't been sleeping well all week. He's just worried. Mentioned that you…had…someone coming up to visit for a…while." Tim stopped talking when he noticed the anger rise in her eyes.

"I'm gonna-"

"Really. He's just worried. I am too. I'm the one who asked him what was going on…you've been spending so much time here…I was worr-"

Sara breathed in deeply before speaking, "Tim…th…thanks. It's good to kn-"

"Don't mention it. Please. Go home. Pick up your daughter. Spend some time with her. It'll be good for you." He gave her a timid smile.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." She gave him a quick hug before leaving.

 _Those two. I swear. You can't tell one of them something without the other finding out._

She quickly packed up the reports she still needed to finished, turned off the light, and locked her office door before heading for her car. When she reached her car, her phone buzzed.

She looked down and saw a text message:

 _I arrived safely. I'll be sitting on the beach for a while. Care to join me when you get off work? –G._

Sara drew in a deep breath. _This is really happening._

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Chapter three is a WIP. I will get it done ASAP. There will be more flashbacks! At least for the next chapter. Depending where it leads me, it may be the last chapter with flashbacks. At least for when Grissom meets Meredith. I may throw in more flashbacks from before Sara left LV.

Please review! I love reading them and always am up for feedback!

~Kay


	3. Chapter Three

I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Here's chapter three :)

MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.

Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.

* * *

Chapter Three

Sara slowly drove to fetch Meredith from the babysitter. Since leaving work,she had butterflies in her stomach but was also feeling extremely anxious.

 _I can't believe he's really here. He really was serious._

Sara took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she pulled into the parking lot.

 _Home Away From Home_ the sign read on the building. Sara took another deep breath. This place really was a "home away from home" place for Meredith. She loved it there. The woman who ran the daycare, Ms. Rosey, was middle age and has been in the early childhood education field for over thirty years. Having started out babysitting through her home as a young teenager, her popularity saw her business evolve into a daycare by the time she was twenty. Twenty years later, it was now a full-blown center-based daycare for infants to tweens with before-and after-school programs along with summer camp activities for children of all ages.

Sara slowly made her way into the building and stopped at the front desk. After swiping her finger on the fingerprint sign-in/out pad, she looked up as a woman behind the desk spoke warmly,

"Good afternoon Sara. You're here early."

Sara smiled, "Tim let me out early. Said I had been spending too much time at the Lab."

Ms. Rosey smirked, "Is that so?" Then she winked, "I'm not so sure how easily Mer will let you take her home…." Smiling wider she continued, "We have a visitor from the zoo today. He brought quite a few different animals…and bugs for the children to learn more about. Mer has taken quite a liking to the bugs…"

Sara chuckled, "Why am I not surprised?" _She's just like her father._

Ms. Rosey laughed, "They're in the gymnasium."

"Thank you Rosey." Sara turned and headed down the short hallway to the gymnasium. She quietly entered the room and stood in the back as she watched all the enthusiastic children. She chuckled when she saw Meredith practically trying to climb into the bug cage.

Sara sighed. _She is definitely her father's daughter…_

Sara continued to watch Meredith's fascination with all the _caged specimens_. Her face was bright and full of excitement as she continued to ask questions about all the different bugs. Sara's mind slowly started to drift back to three months ago.

 **Flashback**

 _Sara was whispering in Meredith's ear as she turned back around, "We have a visitor today." Sara looked up and gave Grissom a small smile._

 _Meredith kept her head buried in Sara's shoulder as she spoke quietly, "My foot still hurts. Can I have some ice cream?"_

 _Sara chuckled, "Maybe after dinner you can have some ice cream."_

 _Don laughed, "She's definitely yours, Sar."_

 _Sara stuck her tongue out at Don and then turned her attention back to Meredith. In a very hush tone, "Don't you want to see who's here, bug?"_

 _Meredith shook her head 'no'. Sara sighed and looked back at Grissom and mouthed, "Give us a couple of minutes." Then turned and left the room._

 _Grissom release his breath before speaking, "God, she's beautiful."_

 _Don looked over at Grissom, "She is. A spitting image of –"_

" _Of Sara." Grissom finished._

" _Yeah,_ _ **"**_ _Don agreed, "Although those curls…"_

 _Before her brother finished his thought, Sara walked back in the room._

" _Sorry. She's being a stinker and decided to curl up in the nest with blankie." Realizing she needed to explain, she continued, "Our papasan wicker chair in the living room. I call it her nest because she's so small sitting in the chair."_

 _Grissom let out a quiet chuckle, "That's no problem."_

" _Oh crap! I gotta go." Don rushed around the kitchen looking for his keys. Sara glanced at the clock 3:15. Don continued, "Annie is going to think I forgot about her…" He groaned, "Again..."_

" _Don, she'll be fine. You aren't going to be that late."_

" _I'll see if Mer wants to go for the ride." Don quickly walked into the living room._

" _Hey Mer, wanna go get Annie with me?"_

 _When Sara heard no reply, she looked around the corner into the living room. Don was carefully picking her up out of the chair. He saw her when he turned around. "We'll be back."_

" _Okay." Sara inhaled deeply as she watched Don climb cautiously down the stairs. The door shut softly. She was releasing the breath she was holding and jumped when she felt a hand on the small of her back._

 **Present day**

"Moommmyyy!" Sara quickly shook her head when she heard Meredith calling her name. She opened her arms just in time as Meredith jumped. Sara caught her with ease and smiled down at her daughter.

"Hi bug."

"There's all kinds of bugs and insects over there." She pointed towards the other end of the room and continued on, "There's ladybugs, and butterflies, and…and…and caterpillars….oh and baby bugs…liv..lav..lar –"

"Larva?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, lava." Sara laughed as Meredith went on, "And they're beautiful! Oh and so colorful. The butterflies are very…oh and I got to hold one! It was awesome!"

Before Meredith could continue, Sara interrupted her, "That sounds like a lot of fun! How about you tell me all about it on the ride home?"

"Buuutt mommy!" Meredith whined, "I don't want to go home."

Sara sighed. She knew this was going to be a struggle.

~~~~GSR~~~~

Grissom sat on the beach with his pants rolled up and shoes lying next to him. He watched as the waves crashed over his feet before drifting back to sea. He inhaled the salty air and slowly released it. It was quiet on the beach as very few families were around. It was now late August and school had recently started up again for the year, and Grissom was slightly grateful for that. Grissom looked down at his watch. _12:44 p.m._ He groaned. _Sara still has three to four more hours at work._ He wrapped his arms loosely around his knees and laid his chin down on top of them. His eyes stared out into the ocean as his mind drifted back to the end of May.

 **Flashback**

" _I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Grissom slowly backed away from Sara and looked down at his feet. He drew in a deep breath._

" _It's fine. I ju…I just…" Sara shook her head and tried to slow her heart rate. She turned around to look at Grissom and continued above a whisper, "It's fine. Really."_

 _When Gil continued to stare down at his feet, Sara took a tentative step closer to him, "Gil?"_

 _At the sound of his name, Grissom quickly looked up. Sara gave him a small smile and took another step closer to him. Grissom's eyes locked with Sara's deep brown ones as his heart began to race._

 _They continue to stare deep into each other's eyes as silence enveloped the room. Grissom took that last hesitant step closer to Sara. They stood mere inches apart, both uncertain of what was happening._

 _Sara could feel Grissom's warm breathe on her cheek and the familiar ache in the pit of her stomach reappeared. She continued to stare into his darkening blue eyes as Gil slightly shifted his eyes away. Sara's hand instantly reached up and stroked his check._

 _Finally, Grissom broke the silence, "Sara." Her name was said on the end of his breath and Sara's heart began to race even more. She moved her face slightly closer to his. Grissom brought his eyes back to hers and Sara could see the uncertainty in them. She continued to stroke the side of his face and moved closer to him._

 _Grissom felt as though his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He said her name again. Just as Sara was about to lean in, the front door slammed shut._

" _Aunt Sara. Guess what?" Came drifting through the quiet household._

 _Sara jumped back and quickly turned towards the living room just as her nephew came running up the stairs. Grissom quickly turned towards the kitchen's doors and looked out towards the ocean._

" _Hey Monster." Sara spoke, trying to hide the uneasiness in her voice._

" _Guess what?" The little boy's excitement made Sara chuckle._

" _Hmmm. You grew another inch? No, that can't be it." Sara smiled, "Oh, I know, you ate all of your lunch today?"_

" _Noooo. Aunt Sara! You do remember what today was, right?" The boy grinned, knowing Sara was teasing._

 _Grissom turned around listening to the banter as Sara spoke with fake confusion in her voice, "Hmm. Today. Today. What was so special about today?"_

" _Aunt Saraaa!" Petey now had a bit of whine to his voice._

" _Oh, that's right. Today was Kendra's birthday! Did you make her a sweet card?" Sara winked._

 _Petey laughed, "Noooo. Her birthday was last week, silly. I'm going to just tell y-"_

" _Oh, I remember," Sara smiled wider, "today was-"_

" _The book fair!" Petey finished with a huge grin._

" _Ah yes. That's right. The book fair. Which means you missed math today."_

" _YUP!" The boy's excitement rose. "It was great. Dad gave me money to get a book too!"_

" _Is that so?"_

" _Ye-" Petey stopped when he noticed Grissom. His eyes grew wide. He looked back at his Aunt and signaled for her to come closer. When she got down to his level, he whispered so only she would hear him, "Is that…is that Mer's dad?" His questioning eyes sought hers._

 _Sara gave him a weak smile and nodded her head just slightly as she whispered, "Yes."_

 _Petey then turned his attention to Grissom, "Nice to meet you Mr. Grissom."_

 _Grissom was surprised the boy knew who he was. Petey noticed his surprised look and continued, "Aunt Sara talks about you sometimes."_

 _Petey turned his attention back to Sara and gave her a hug, "I love you." He moved towards the staircase before coming to an abrupt stop._ _Looking back at Grissom, the young boy pulled himself up to his full height as_ _he spoke in an authoritative voice that belied his years, "Just don't hurt them."_

* * *

What did you think? Let me know in the reviews! I always look forward to reading everyone's thoughts!

Chapter four is WIP. Hopefully will be done in the next couple of days, but I can't promise anything.

Kay


	4. Chapter Four

I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Here's chapter four. I hope it pleases :)

MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.

Credit: MyKate wrote the flashback scene. I'm very grateful for her and everything she helps me with. She is AWESOME!

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.

Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.

Remember, this takes place in 2008, shortly after Warrick's death.

* * *

Chapter Four

"Bug, come on. We really need to head home." Sara sighed.

"No. I wanna stay here." Meredith slowly turned to walk back towards the bugs.

"Meredith Grace."

Meredith immediately stopped at the sound of the sternness in Sara's voice, but made no move to turn back towards her mother.

Sighing again, Sara spoke softer, "It's time to go home. It is not a choice." When Meredith still didn't turn back around, Sara continued but in a firmer tone, "You have to the count of three before I start taking privileges. One."

A few seconds ticked by and Meredith still didn't budge.

"Two." Sara waited another few seconds.

"Th-"

Meredith quickly turned back around and darted towards Sara, "Nooo. I'm coming!" her voice full of displeasure and whine.

"Good choice." Sara held out her hand for Meredith to take. When she made no move to take Sara's hand, Sara stopped and gave her a stern look. Meredith grunted and took her hand.

"I understand you're unhappy, Bug, but it's not a choice. It's time to go home." Sara's voice was soft and loving.

Meredith grunted again before looking up at her mother as they walked out of the building. Tears glistened Meredith's eyes. Sara could feel her daughter's stares and looked down. When she saw the tears in Meredith's eyes she stopped walking and knelt down to Meredith's level. Bringing her into a hug, Sara gently wiped the tear that cascaded down her sun-kissed cheek.

"Bug, it's okay to be upset that we're leaving. I know that you were having fun." Sara then pulled her in for a tight hug.

On a small hiccup, "Why can't I stay Mommy? You came too early." More tears dripped down her tiny cheeks.

"I know honey. I'm sorry. Uncle Tim let me out of work early. I've missed you and thought it would be nice for us to spend some time together."

"I missed you too, Mommy. You've been gone a lot…" Meredith ended on a whisper.

"I know Bug. I'm sorry. I've had to work a lot this week, which is why Uncle Tim let me out of work early…and," Sara smiled and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially," I'm officially on vacation for the next week."

Meredith's head jerked and her mouth gaped open before shestarted to jump up and down, "REALLY?!"

Sara laughed at the excitement as her daughter caught her off-guard in a bone-crushing hug.

Enjoying the warmth of the moment, Sara cupped her happy child's cheek and asked, "Now, how about a piggy back ride to the car?"

"Yeah!" Meredith carefully climbed onto Sara's back, and Sara slowly stood up and headed to the car.

Once they were both settled into the car, Sara looked down at her phone as it vibrated:

 _Hey sis. Tim said he let you out early. If you want, drop Mer off at the office. I know you need some time to prepare._

Sara sighed. _I know he's waiting for me on the beach…but I want to spend some time with Meredith…ugh._ Sara looked at her daughter in the rearview mirror.

"Bug, how about we get some frozen yogurt from _Brain Freeze_ , and then I drop you off to Uncle Don for a bit?" Sara took a deep breath, unsure how Meredithwould react to a visit to her uncle's workplace.

"Brain Freeze in the middle of the afternoon? Yes please!" Only a breath passed before questioning eyes locked with Sara's in the mirror. "Though …why do I have to go to Uncle Don's office?"

Instead of starting the car, Sara sat for a moment before turning around so she could look at her child. Keeping her voice deliberately light she replied, "Uncle Don reminded me of something I need to do first." Sara diverted her gaze, but not before Meredith could see an anxious look in her mother's eyes.

"Oh, okay. Sure, Mommy," the child replied as she didn't like to see her mother upset. Meredith turned her attention to her stuffed ladybug.

Sara turned back around and started the car. I need to tell her about Grissom's visit. But how to begin?...

 **An hour later**

Sara sat on the park bench watching Meredith play tag with a few other kids. After getting their frozen yogurt at _Brain Freeze_ , Sara agreed that they could walk over to the nearby park for a little bit. In truth, Sara just wanted to be able to spend a little bit more time with her daughter before dropping her off at Don's.

 _Besides, I don't know if I'm ready to see him just yet._

"Bug, please be careful!" Sara yelled as she watched her daughter run up and down the bridge that went up to the tallest slide.

"Always, Mommy!" Meredith gave her the famous Sidle smile. Sara couldn't help but to smile it back.

Meredith laughed as she dodge the tagger yet again and slide down the slide on her belly. "You won't be able to catch me Billy!" Sara watched as her child happily ran off towards the other end of the playground.

Sara felt her phone vibrate in her hand and looked down.

 _So are you going to drop her off? He's arrived already, hasn't he?_

Sara made a face while mentally responding: _I'm going to pretend for a little bit longer that he's not._

Sighing heavily, she then replied to Don:

 _I'll drop her off soon. I'm going to spend a little bit more time with her._

A few seconds later, her phone vibrated again:

 _So he's arrived then?_

 _Yes, Don. He sent me a text when he got in._

 _You should go greet him, don't you think?_

 _He can wait. Mer cannot._

 _Yes she can. She sees you all the time._

 _Not much this last week. You know that…_

 _Does she know?_

 _Know what?_

 _That he's here._

Sara breathed in deeply:

 _No, I haven't told her yet._

"Mommy, look at this!"

Sara looked up just as Meredith came running over, her hands grasped together. "What do you have, Bug?"

"A callerpiller!" Meredith shrieked in amazement.

"CATerpillar," Sara corrected, yet smiled at her daughter's attempt.

Meredith slowly opened up her hands to show Sara the bug. "What kind do you think it is?"

Meredith thought for a moment, "I know it's a cat-erpillar…" She then shook her head, "I don't know what kind though. It's fuzzy, which tickles my hands."

"It's called a Vanessa Virginiensis," her mother instructed with a strange catch in her voice.

"Really, Mommy?" Meredith looked shocked that her mother could know so much about these things…

"Yes, really," Sara smiled softly at the memory of Gil softly guiding the butterfly onto her outstretched hand.

 **Flashback**

 _The night was silent as it seemed nature itself was conspiring to allow them time to be alone._

 _Being the last to leave the crime scene, they had finished packing up their gear and were preparing to leave the crime scene when Sara's Maglite happened upon a nearby bush._

 _Leaning in closer, she sucked in a surprised breath which brought Grissom to her side immediately._

 _Stunned at finding a butterfly hiding in the bush at this pre-dawn hour, Gil had delighted Sara further by reaching in and presenting the specimen for her inspection._

" _Give me your hand."_

 _Without thought, Sara complied and was startled when Gil gently gripped her fingers until they relaxed in an open stance. Soon her attention was riveted at the tiny creature that had been coaxed onto her palm._

 _Her heart raced as she realized he had not released her hand, but instead Grissom had nested her fingers inside his sure grip._

 _Sara felt his gaze on her as he quietly muttered, "A Painted Beauty."_

 _Her head cocked as she examined the butterfly under the glow of the Maglite perched in Grissom's jacket strap. Her eyes flicked to his, and for a moment the world held its breath._

 _Not releasing his grip, Gil had pulled himself out of his reverie and began to relate some details about this American Painted Lady butterfly._

 _Sara would later wish the stolen moment had lingered but, as Grissom spoke, the dawn was stealing over them. This signaled to their treasure that day was about to break, and without warning the butterfly leapt from Sara's grasp._

 _The movement had startled both, and Grissom's protective instinct caused him to jerk towards Sara with his grip closing firmly over her open palm._

 _The moment sparkled as he stood close…so close._

 _It took a full moment before they realized he still was holding her hand._

 **Present day**

Sara looked down at the caterpillar then back up at Meredith _ **.**_ She had to swallow hard before she spoke, "Sweetie, how about you go put him back where you found him and say goodbye to your friends?"

Meredith was about to pout when she noticed her mother's eyes seemed to dance over her with that same anxious look."Okay, Mommy." Meredith spoke although her gaze remained on her treasure find. The little girl turned back and reluctantly moved away to go return the caterpillar back to the bush.

Sara looked back down at her phone and saw Don had replied:

 _You should do it before it's too late._

Sara sighed and mumbled, "I _KNOW_ _what I need to do_."

 _I will. I just haven't figured out_ exactly _how. We'll be at your office in 20 minutes._

"Bye, Billy. Bye, Susie." Sara heard Meredith saying as her feet flew over the grass to close the distance between them. A sweet smile graced the child's face as she beamed,"I'm ready to go, Mommy."

Sara grasped her daughter's hand and slowly started to walk back towards the car. She took another deep breath and tried to exhale calmly.

Picking up on her mother's anxious manner for a third time that day, Meredith quietly asked, "Mommy, is something wrong?"

Sara looked down at her daughter as she unlocked the car, "Why would you think anything is wrong?"

"I don't know. You just aren't…" Meredith trailed off.

Sara helped Meredith get into the car as she spoke just above a whisper, "Mer, there is something I need to talk to you about…"

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed! Truthfully, this is by far one of my favorite chapters I've written. Before I started writing this, I had this vision of what Grissom and Sara's child would be like, but not, she's kinda starting to write herself whenever I go to write. I personally love her and the way she's turning out. How about you?

Please remember to leave a review! I always love reading them :)

Kay


	5. Chapter Five

Hey everyone! I know it's been a few weeks since I last posted - I apologize. It's been quite a tough month for me as my mom was rushed to the hospital and then a lot of ups and downs with that (she lives south while I'm up north, which makes it even harder). Then I've been also working long hour days (10-16 hours) and am just exhausted by the time I get home, not to mention it's usually between 10 and midnight when I'm getting home. Other another note - I hope this chapter pleases!

MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.

Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.

Remember, this takes place in 2008, shortly after Warrick's death.

* * *

Chapter Five

 **Flashback**

 _She wrapped her arms tightly around her midsection as she stared out the window. The parking lot was near empty at this time of day_ _,_ _and a sense of peace descended upon her for the first time since she arrived home._

 _She sighed, "It's starting to rain again." She spoke quietly in an effort to end the silence that encompassed the room._

 _His hot breath tickled the back of her neck_ _,_ _and she sucked in a deep breath. Her shoulders arched reflexively_ _as she felt his hand come to rest on the small of her back, but she quickly relaxed._

 _Feeling her tense at first, he took a tentative step closer to her_ _. His_ _hand sliding to her hip_ _,_ _the scent of lavender filled his nostrils. Slowly, he reached up with his free hand and gently ran his fingers through her soft_ _hair._

 _She leaned into his touch and in a low and husky voice, "Griss?"_

 _Grissom tightened his hold on her hip as he brought her closer to him, their bodies now completely touching. He lightly caressed behind her ear with his nose as he mumbled, "Hmmm?"_

" _Wh…wha…" Sara lost her train of thought as Grissom's lips were leaving a trail of the softest kisses behind her ear and down her neck. Grissom tightened his hold on her hip as he felt her legs waver._

 _His hand brushed through her silky hair once more before lovingly sliding down her cheek and then her arm before settling on top of her hand that was still wrapped around her midsection._

 _Sara drew in another deep breath as Grissom linked his fingers with her other hand and tightening his hold slightly._

 _Grissom's trail of kisses stopped at her shoulders_ _,_ _and he breathed in her intoxicating smell_ _._

 _They stood frozen in the moment for a few long minutes. Barely above a whisper, "Griss."_

 _Grissom detected the hint of anxiety in her voice and lifted his head. Deep blue eyes meet dark brown ones. They stared at each other for a few seconds that felt like an eternity before his lips crashed down on hers._

 _A moan escaped her throat as she felt him spin her so they were facing each other while still locked in the_ _impassioned embrace. Grissom pulled her closer and groaned as her body molded itself flush against him. Sara reached her hands up to his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss. Grissom's mouth parted slightly and Sara's tongue immediately sought entrance which Grissom granted as his hands roamed over her back._

 _When the need to breathe became too strong, they rested their foreheads against one another_ _as they tried to calm their breathing._

 _Once they recovered Grissom was about to speak as Sara cut in, "Please. Don't…"_

 _His eyes searched hers one last time before his lips crashed down on hers again._

 **Present day**

Grissom stretched out his legs and let the waves gently crash over his feet. He looked down at his watch and sighed. _2:14 p.m._ He drew in a deep breath of the salty air and spoke out towards the sea, "Such a beauty…" Then he slowly stood up and stretched. He looked up towards the sky and grinned as he turned around while speaking,

"I don't even have to turn around, Sara Sidle." His grin grew bigger as she came into view.

Sara grinned slightly as she responded the same way she did eight years ago, "That's me."

Grissom grinned again, "You know, you could have joined me instead of standing there."

"Sorry," Sara gave him a timid smile, "You _,_ uh…you just seemed…so at…peace." Sara looked down at her bare feet.

"I feel at peace." Grissom walked slowly towards her.

"That's…that's good." Sara looked back up to find him watching her carefully. She took a deep breath, "How was your drive?"

"Uneventful." Grissom stopped right in front of her, "You're out of work early."

"You sound surprised."

Grissom laughed, "Sara Sidle, known for living at work and never leavingearly unless coerced…"

Sara gave a small laugh, "Well, that's no longer the case…"

"Is that so?" Grissom grinned again.

"Mostly." Sara blushed, "Umm, Tim actually sent me home today. Apparently my brother can't keep anything to himself."

Grissom gave her a confused look and Sara quietly continued, "Umm, Don told him you were coming today." Sara looked back down.

Grissom carefully reached up to cup her chinand gently brought her eyes back to his, "Is this a bad thing?"

Sara slowly shook her head, "No. No, it's not." Then on a short laugh, "He, um…well, I… _apparently_ hadbeen spending too much time there this week."

Grissom's smile grew, "Old habits die hard."

Sara responded with a shrug and her famous Sidle Smile that he loved so much.

Sara then turned out of his grasp and slightly above a whisper continued, "That may be true, though I really don't work nearly as much as I…before we…" Taking a deep breath, Sara turned back around and looked into Grissom's bright blue eyes.

"Would you like to walk along the beach? Or we could-"

"Sure, Griss, I'd like that." Feeling her phone vibrate Sara continued, "Um, hold on a sec." She pulled her phone out and saw that Don sent her a text. Sara sighed as she read it:

 _Meredith keeps asking when she can go home. I'll be here for at least another four hours._

 _See if Lori would mind picking her up for a bit, please. Petey has a playdate with Zack. I'm sure Mer will be welcomed._

Sara looked up and gave Grissom an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Meredith is bored at Don's office."

"Oh, you could go-"

Sara looked down at Don's response:

 _Lori said she'll pick her up in 20. Petey and Zack are just walking out of the school._

"It's fine." Sara spoke quickly, "Lori, my neighbor, is going to pick her up. Petey has a playdate with her son Zack."

Sara then responded to Don:

 _Thanks Don. I appreciate it. Please let Lori know._

"Shall we go on that walk then?"

Sara hesitated, "Sure."

"We don't have to, Sara."

"No, it's not that. Umm." Sara looked towards Lori's house, "Um, they'll be…" Sara pointed towards the house that stood two doors down from hers, "they'll be home in about forty-five minutes." Sara blushed, "I don't want Meredith to see us."

Grissom a bit confused, "It's fine if she-"

"She knows you're here. It's just…If she sees me, she'll want to be with me…" Sara drew in a quick breath before rambling on, "I…I um-"

"Rather her have fun then listen to us talk?"

Sara gave him a weak smile, "Yeah…" Her gaze shot up uncertainly, "Unless…"

"No, Sara, that's fine. I hope there will be plenty of opportunitiesfor me to spend time with her." Then going to a whisper, "I'd like to spend time with just you, too."

Sara gave him a slight nod before starting to walk down to the water. Grissom followed, but quickened his pace so that he was next to her.

For the next twenty minutes they walked in an semi-awkward silence along the water's edge, each stealing glances at each other every once in a while.

Sounds of children's play echoed from the distant shoreline.

Watching parents and children approaching the listless waves, a calm settled over the pair.

The geek mind meld resurfaced and, if thoughts became words, each would express surprise at the parallel pangs of longing as their hearts ached to be one of those happy families reveling in the late day sun.

Grissom was the first to break the silence, "Sara?"

Sara stopped and looked up at him, again feeling the pull of the bright blue of his eyes. She drew in a deep breath before whispering, "Yes?"

"Can you tell me more about her?" Grissom's gaze remained locked on the long path ahead of them.

"Please?"

* * *

I hope you enjoyed! I love the conflict Sara is feeling towards spending time with Gil vs. her daughter.

Please leave your feedback - all is always welcome!

~Kay


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